For anyone who may be new to VBL, could you explain your current role at Vanquis and where you first started?
My current role at Vanquis is that of a Data Rights Specialists, which is in the Customer Relations department. I have duties of identifying and resolving the types of rights customers are expressing through the different channels of Voice/Email/Letters. I joined Vanquis almost 7 years ago, fresh from an IT Apprenticeship, landing a contractor role as a 1st Line Service Desk Analyst which eventually became permanent. I moved with this role to our Bradford office where my career moved to 2nd Line Technical Support and then Access Management Administrator. I moved back to the Chatham office early 2017.
What made you take this new direction in your career?
When GDPR was edging closer and closer to effective go live status I spoke to my now manager about an upcoming role within her area, because of the pressures that GDPR caused EVERYWHERE, and to my surprise the area was expanding and I applied the moment it went up. The reason for the change in career is because I wanted to do something different, learn new skills, and hopefully identify exactly where I want my career to take me. The skills I’ve obtained from my Access Management role are extremely useful but I’m learning the business now from the Operations perspective, which is exciting!
How did you progress to the new department that you moved to?
What helped me with the transition to move was because my old role in Access Management was very process driven, and I like processes – it allows people to know exactly what they’re doing and help bring everything in-line. It’s better when everyone is on the same page. As an objective set at the beginning of 2018, I wanted to see other areas of the business, how they worked, what struggles they had, and where my [previous] area could improve on service for them, I did a stint sitting with Fraud in my own time and also my new area. This allowed me to take the plunge and apply!
Where there any challenges you faced in getting to where you are now? How did you overcome them?
The only challenge I faced was making sure I did a good job in the interview, as my previous department were completely behind my move; my last interview was a good few years ago. To make sure the interview went well, I researched the role by sitting with both current Data Rights Specialists and asked them questions on the main acts they cover (because this was before GDPR went live). They were both extremely helpful and I thank them both behind the success of my interview.
What’s next for you?
I now want to aim towards compliance, gaining further knowledge of the acts and laws. I like to question a lot to understand why we do what we do which is an enabler for me absorbing more information.
What’s the one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I’m heavily into my photography, and I’m self-taught. Whenever someone starts talking to me about photography I find it hard to stop the conversation!